What many commuters traveling through Dulles Airport may not know is that this airport handles a significant amount of commercial freight and is primed to handle additional air cargo capacity. From refrigerated food to flowers to pharmaceuticals and heavy equipment, Dulles Airport offers a number of competitive advantages for advanced manufacturers, freight forwarders and third-party logistics providers.

Officials from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), Loudoun County, and Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) recently hosted a group of site selection consultants to expound upon these strategic advantages – location, low operating costs and existing infrastructure.

Located at the center of the East Coast air cargo market, the Dulles Catchment Area covers 25 states and part of Canada with overnight service. Dulles has a dedicated access road providing a fast connection to I-95, and its close proximity to I-81 and I-70 provide an extensive ground transportation network to Eastern, Midwestern and Canadian markets. Due to the nature of goods being transported, timing is critical and gains in efficiencies not only deliver a better product to the end user, but save the shipper from incurring spoilage costs.

Of equal importance to its import capabilities, Dulles is also able to attract a strong market for export, which is crucial to establish cargo for the backhaul. “If exports and imports match up, it’s a huge enhancement and adds to the price-point value. Air freight carriers and manufacturers ideally want the planes to be fully loaded both coming and going,” said Warren Hammer, VEDP Business Development Manager – Logistics.

Dulles Airport can also be highly competitive from a cost standpoint. It is an industry standard to charge landing fees; however, Dulles bases its fees on the Maximum Landing Weight while many of its competitors base their fees on the Maximum Take-Off Weight. As an airplane weighs considerably less at landing, due to fuel consumption, these cost savings can add up over time. Dulles also competes favorably on other costs such as lower cargo handling and fuel fees, as well as fewer weather-related delays compared to its Northern counterparts, leading to an overall lower operational cost structure for carriers and manufacturers.

In 2010 Dulles handled almost 323,000 metric tons of freight, with more than 195,000 metric tons traveling internationally. Its 442 weekly international departures to 48 destinations around the world illustrate how Dulles has already developed a substantial infrastructure. “There’s already a critical mass for the global air cargo market, but what’s most exciting is there’s capacity to grow,” said Brent Sheffler, VEDP Managing Director - Advanced Manufacturing. Added Sheffler, “Dulles has 515,000 square feet of cargo warehouse space, nearly one million square feet of cargo ramp and hundreds of acres surrounding the airport to support highly-secured air cargo and climate-controlled distribution facilities.”

The air cargo capabilities of Dulles International Airport add to the compelling story of why Virginia is CNBC’s Top State for Business. To learn why Virginia’s is a leading gateway to the world click here.

Best known as the college town surrounding Virginia Tech, Blacksburg is making a name for itself as a family-friendly community after receiving top scores on a number of factors parents consider when deciding where to live. “Excellent schools, combined with an affordable cost of living, relatively low crime, and plentiful amenities lifted Blacksburg to first place in Businessweek.com’s sixth nationwide ranking of best places in each state in the U.S. to raise kids,” according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Blacksburg offers residents a high quality of life with a multitude of recreational activities. Located between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains, the town provides easy access to the Appalachian Trail and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. In addition to an aquatic and community center, Blacksburg maintains more than 400 acres of parkland which houses public playgrounds, sports fields and miles of walking and biking trails.

It is no surprise that the top city to raise children has an excellent educational system, with schools that score well above average on standardized tests. The community is home to seven public schools – from elementary through high school – as well as several private schools, day-care facilities and preschools. As for higher education, Virginia Tech was ranked 28th in U.S. News & World Report’s Top Public National Universities list and its College of Engineering was ranked 15th in the nation. With more than 100 centers and institutes performing research, Virginia Tech graduates enter the workforce armed with real world, problem-solving experience.

The Blacksburg workforce is highly educated, with two-thirds of residents above the age of 25 holding a bachelor’s degree or higher and 40 percent holding a graduate or professional degree. This type of educated workforce combined with the research capabilities of Virginia Tech is a huge draw for companies. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center is home to more than 140 high-tech companies and research centers and Blacksburg Industrial Park is one of several industrial and research business parks housing numerous high-tech and manufacturing companies. In fact, Blacksburg had three companies make Inc. Magazine’s 2011 500|5000 list of the fasting growing U.S. companies.

To learn more about why Blacksburg, Va. is the best place in the U.S. to raise a family click here.

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) exhibited at the CoreNet Global Summit in Atlanta, Ga., last week to promote Virginia’s pro-business climate and extensive assets with business leaders and site selection consultants in the hopes of drawing additional investment and jobs to the Commonwealth. CoreNet Global is a leading member association for corporate real estate executives and this year’s event drew more than 1,500 attendees.

The international presence at this year’s show continued to increase, reflecting the macro trends of globalization and the subsequent expansion of the corporate real estate industry. Also of note was an increase in real estate firms, providing a full-service approach that end-users typically had to farm out to multiple service providers.

The theme of this year’s event was “Social Dynamics: Connectivity, Creativity, Relationships,” exploring how people are connecting in different ways with new tools and how this impacts the corporate real estate industry. Fortunately, Virginia is right on target keeping pace with technology and the demands of the industry. The Commonwealth has one of the country’s most advanced site selection tools called VirginiaScan. VirginiaScan is a web-based tool that allows companies and consultants to search a database of more than 2,100 qualified sites and buildings across the Commonwealth based on a number of criteria such as property type, square footage, logistics requirements, labor statistics and existing business data. Virginia also has another web-based tool called Compare Virginia, which allows consultants to perform a side-by-side comparison of how Virginia compares with other states in a variety of areas, including education, employment, income and wages, labor relations, population, public debt and taxes.

Tools like those mentioned above cater to the on-the-go demands of executives and site selection consultants by allowing them to access web-based tools and get a head-start on research, while maintaining confidentiality in the early stages of a property search. To learn why CNBC has selected Virginia as the Top State for Business and how VEDP can help with your site selection search click here.

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Yesterday, ITT Exelis celebrated the official opening of its new headquarters in Fairfax County, just a few short months after Governor McDonnell’s announcement of the company’s plans to invest up to $5 million and create 100 new jobs. This has been a busy few weeks for ITT Exelis, completing its spin-off from ITT Corporation on October 31, and ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange as an independent company on November 4.

Secretary Cheng and Congressman Jim Moran were on hand to offer their congratulations to the company as ITT Exelis unveiled its logo on the newly christened headquarters building. Located on Tysons Boulevard, the new corporate headquarters is housed in the center of the bustling business community of Tysons Corner in McLean, Va., just a few miles away from the Pentagon and other key government and military customers. With expansion of the D.C. Metro’s Silver Line expected to come right through the area in a couple of years, contact with D.C. defense players will only improve.

Proximity to key customers isn’t the only reason Virginia won this deal. ITT is already well acquainted with Virginia’s pro-business climate, as it is has a strong presence across the state with operations in McLean, Herndon and Roanoke. The decision to further its presence in the Commonwealth, particularly with ITT Exelis’ headquarters location, illustrates an understanding of Virginia’s strong assets that include a highly skilled workforce and a favorable regulatory and tax environment.

Coming right on the heels of Northrop Grumman’s new headquarters opening, Virginia is establishing itself as the global hub for the defense industry. Already home to ATK, BAE Systems Inc., CACI International, Computer Sciences Corp., General Dynamics, SAIC and SRA International, the Commonwealth is in a strong position to attract additional defense players. To learn why top defense and aerospace companies said yes to Virginia click here.

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Virginia wins big again – Bechtel Corporation, rated the top U.S. construction contractor by Engineering News-Record, just announced its plans to invest $18 million and bring 625 jobs to Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The company will relocate its Global Operations headquarters from Maryland and establish its Government Services group headquarters at the Reston Town Center in Reston, Va.

Bechtel selected Virginia because it has the right combination of resources to help the company succeed in a global environment. The growth sectors of the Commonwealth closely align with Bechtel’s market focus, and the location in Fairfax County puts the company in close proximity to key customers in the government, IT, energy and transportation sectors. With the company’s corporate headquarters in San Francisco, Virginia’s central East Coast location gives Bechtel a coast-to-coast presence as well as global access through nearby Dulles International Airport.

Virginia’s ability to match the company’s workforce needs, particularly in the IT and engineering sectors, helped seal the deal. Virginia has the highest concentration of high-tech workers in the nation according to Cyberstates 2010 – 277,575 to be exact. The Commonwealth also has a strong pipeline of educated technology professionals entering the workforce with more than 18,500 students enrolled in IT programs and 3,400 degrees and certificates awarded in the 2009-2010 academic year. To learn more about Virginia’s technology assets click here.

Bechtel is part of a steady stream of companies who have recognized Virginia’s pro-business climate and selected the Commonwealth for their headquarters operations. SAIC, CSC, Volkswagen of America, Northrop Grumman, ITT Exelis and Hilton Worldwide are just a few companies that have established headquarters in the Commonwealth. To learn why many of the world’s largest companies call Virginia home click here.

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Isle of Wight County received some big news when leading coffeemaker Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) announced it will invest $180 million and create 800 jobs over the next five years. The company plans to purchase a 330,000-square-foot building at Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park that will serve as a production and distribution facility, handling the roasting, grinding, flavoring and packaging of its Keurig® single-serve product line.

Governor McDonnell aptly described this project as “transformational for Isle of Wight County.” The county, part of the Hampton Roads region, was especially hard hit by job losses during the recent economic downturn. The 800 jobs that this project will bring are particularly meaningful to this community.

Virginia was able to attract this world class consumer products company because it was able to provide a location that aligned the company’s production facility with its supply chain, workforce and logistical needs. The Commonwealth’s central location on the Atlantic Coast allows for easy transport to the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest markets.

GMCR referenced the appeal of Virginia’s workforce as one of the key factors in selecting this site. Virginia is home to 525 Food Processing companies that employ more than 33,000 people. A steady stream of skilled employees is provided through Virginia Tech’s Department of Food Science and Technology, the Virginia Packaging Application Center at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, and the Center for High Performance Manufacturing, also at Virginia Tech.

The Food and Beverage cluster is growing in the Commonwealth as Food Processing companies have invested more than $2 billion since 2000, creating more than 6,900 new jobs. Hershey, Kraft Foods, Perdue, Smithfield and Tyson have all elected to locate operations in Virginia. In fact, Phoenix Packaging Operations, LLC, a company that invested $37.5 million over the last eighteen months to establish and then expand its first U.S. operations in Virginia, counts GMCR as one of its packaging customers.

As Virginia’s Food and Beverage industry continues to grow, its education system has kept pace by expanding its offerings and including specialized training programs to support this growth. The synergies of this public-private partnership are evident, drawing additional companies to the area and furthering the positive trend. To learn more about Virginia’s thriving Food and Beverage industry click here.

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With the Governor’s Second Annual Forum on Education and Workforce Training occurring next week, Virginians are primed to discuss our world-class workforce and ensure it remains at the top. Recently, several Virginia colleges and universities received national recognition for being among the best higher education institutions in the nation. In the prestigious U.S. News and World Report Top Public National Universities List, The University of Virginia ranked second and The College of William and Mary ranked sixth. The University of Virginia’s undergraduate business program was recognized with a fifth place ranking and its renowned law school placed ninth this year. The College of William and Mary had the eighth ranked undergraduate teaching program in the country.

Washington and Lee University ranked twelfth among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges. Virginia Commonwealth University had the number one Nursing-Anesthesia program and the number four Fine Arts Program. Virginia Tech University’s College of Engineering was rated fifteenth in the country. The University of Richmond was ranked twenty-seventh in the national liberal arts college category. It was also listed as the third up-and-coming liberal arts school and ninth for best value in the liberal arts school category. Virginia Military Institute was ranked fourth in the public liberal arts college category. George Mason University also received a nod as the number two up-and-coming school in country.

At the regional level Virginia educational institutions also showed strongly. In the category of Top Public Regional Universities in the South, James Madison University was ranked number two, the University of Mary Washington was ranked number six and Christopher Newport University was ranked number nine.

Success at the collegiate level is grounded in a strong system of elementary and secondary education. U.S. News and World Report also released its Best Public High School List and one of Virginia’s high schools received the number one spot in the Gold Medal category. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., was selected from more than 21,000 public high schools across the nation as the number one public high school based on proficiency standards and the degree to which it prepared students for college-level work.

In the 2010-11 academic year, 133,603 degrees from associate through doctorate were awarded at Virginia's colleges and universities. With more than 500,000 students currently enrolled in more than 100 in-state institutions of higher education, and 18,000 military personnel exiting the armed services annually, Virginia is producing a diverse pipeline of skilled workers able to meet the needs of businesses looking to expand into the Commonwealth.

Click here to learn more about Virginia’s excellent education system and workforce training programs serving a variety of industry sectors.

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Governor McDonnell declared October 17-21 as Manufacturing Appreciation Week for Virginia. This should come as no surprise to the many Virginians employed by the manufacturing industry — more than 200,000 of us. In the last few weeks alone, manufacturing companies across a variety of industries have signaled their confidence in Virginia’s workforce by locating or expanding their operations in the Commonwealth.

Federal-Mogul Corp., a global automotive supplier, plans to invest $10 million to expand its automotive engine bearing manufacturing facility in Blacksburg Industrial Park, bringing 50 new jobs to Montgomery County. Albany Industries, a manufacturer of upholstered household furniture, announced it will invest $2.5 million to establish production capabilities in Galax, Va. This investment represents Albany Industry’s first operation in Virginia and will bring 335 new jobs to Southwest Virginia.

On the international front, Axxor Group, a Netherlands-based producer of honeycomb, announced it will establish its first U.S. operation in Pittsylvania County in Southern Virginia. In 2006, Swedwood North America, a furniture manufacturer and subsidiary of IKEA, selected Virginia as the location for its first U.S. manufacturing facility. As Axxor Group is a major supplier of honeycomb to Swedwood’s furniture manufacturing operations, this investment is a natural outgrowth of that initial partnership.

Also arriving from across the pond is NBG Holding’s announcement to establish its first U.S. subsidiary, Fiber Cable Technology, in Botetourt county. The Austrian company will invest $5 million and create 25 new jobs to manufacture specialty optical fiber and optical cables for the defense and energy markets.

Whether manufacturing furniture or fiber optic cable, companies from all around the world have recognized the pro-business advantages a Virginia location offers. To learn more about the breadth of industries served by the Commonwealth click here. You can also view a Made in Virginia video produced by the Virginia Manufacturers Association here.

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With October slated as Energy Month in Virginia, the announcement of a new wind turbine test facility moves the Commonwealth one step closer to becoming the Energy Capital of the East Coast. Named Poseidon Atlantic, the facility will be located in Northampton County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. VEDP recently attended the AWEA Offshore Wind Expo where Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling announced this project at a dinner for industry stakeholders.

Poseidon Atlantic will be the first comprehensive testing facility of its kind in the U.S. What makes this project unique is its ability to both test and certify the entire wind turbine (as opposed to testing component parts). Poseidon Atlantic will be the only U.S. site able to perform comprehensive testing for both offshore and land-based turbines.

The Poseidon Atlantic team selected Virginia for this project due to its prime location, as the Commonwealth couldn’t be more well-positioned for the offshore wind industry. Virginia has the ideal combination of strong Class 6 winds along the coast combined with shallow waters that allow for the easy installation of turbines and testing pads. The Commonwealth also has the necessary infrastructure already in place including an experienced maritime workforce, access to a fully operational high voltage transmission grid close to shore, and a robust transportation network including the Port of Virginia, which has the deepest obstruction-free channels on the East Coast.

Given the current worldwide shortage of full-service testing centers, this project positions Virginia at the forefront of the industry. Certification is a critical final step in the R&D process as wind turbine manufacturers often seek IEC certification prior to bringing a product to market. The facility is expected to build up to ten testing pads, leasing these to wind turbine manufacturers and bringing the global offshore wind supply chain to Virginia’s shores.

Though still in its infancy, the wind industry could create thousands of jobs for Virginians and provide a renewable source of energy. With the global supply chain recognizing Virginia’s unique assets and setting up shop along the coast, the Commonwealth is poised to become a hub for the offshore wind industry and one step closer to claiming the title, Energy Capital of the East Coast.

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Virginia and Microsoft have partnered once again – not surprisingly as both are IT leaders who realize staying at the top requires investing in the future. This time, that investment takes the form of educating the Commonwealth’s public high school students as Virginia is only the third state in the nation to implement the Microsoft IT Academy Program. With an aggressive goal of full participation by the end of this school year, the program will support both students and teachers by making software and coursework available including everything from computer basics to programming to the opportunity to earn recognized Microsoft certifications.

The groundwork to attract Microsoft’s data center and support its educational offering for all Virginians was quite literally laid several years ago by the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative. In an effort to support underserved rural areas in Southern Virginia, MBC established an 800 mile open-access, fiber-optic broadband network. While this advanced network has attracted a flurry of Gigaparks and technology companies to the former tobacco region, the network will also provide high-speed internet access to more than 100 schools in Southern Virginia through a federal broadband stimulus program.

Beginning this school year, students in two Southern Virginia counties have been equipped with high speed broadband for the first time. Jumping from 45 Mbps to 100 Mbps is a significant leap that allows students and teachers to take full advantage of the internet, specifically improving video streaming and online collaboration. Establishing high speed connectivity in rural areas like Southern Virginia sets the stage for Microsoft’s IT Academy to be successful. This will be truly be a statewide program, allowing students everywhere to take full advantage of Microsoft’s online resources in order to build the technical skills necessary to fuel Virginia’s booming IT industry.

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With close to 300 Virginia companies on Inc. Magazine’s 2011 Inc. 500|5000 list of the fasting growing companies, the Commonwealth is very well represented. What is perhaps more impressive is the breadth of that representation, spanning multiple regions and industries. With our close proximity to the nation’s capitol, it is no surprise that more than 100 of these Virginia businesses were in the government services sector. However, the list of our top growing companies showed a healthy diversification across the IT, healthcare, business services, energy and education sectors as well. Virginia’s companies are growing in growth industries, which is great news for the Commonwealth.

Montgomery County is a microcosm illustrating this manifold growth. With three companies on the list in three different sectors, Montgomery County entrepreneurs exhibit the creativity and innovation Virginia is known for. Modea, a digital advertising agency, is a homegrown start-up with an impressive client list allowing for a new headquarters building and the addition of 200 employees over the next five years. UXB International is an environmental technology company specializing in demilitarization and weapons removal that has moved to Montgomery County to take advantage of the Virginia Tech Research Center. Harmonia Holding Group is another local startup catering to the software and systems engineering needs of the military and federal agencies from its headquarters, also located at the Virginia Tech Research Center.

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About VEDP

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), a state authority created by the Virginia General Assembly to better serve those seeking a prime business location and increased trade opportunities, provides confidential site selection and international trade services. VEDP's mission: To enhance the quality of life and raise the standard of living for all Virginians, in collaboration with Virginia communities, through aggressive business recruitment, expansion assistance, and trade development, thereby expanding the tax base and creating higher-income employment opportunities.